Tagging along with his mom when she worked in real estate in the 1980s made Jeff Bushaw realize it was the career for him. “I’ve always had a passion for real estate,” says Bushaw, broker/owner of Main Street Real Estate Group. “The same day-to-day routine working at a desk from 9 to 5 wasn’t for me. I enjoy the challenge, competition and changing daily routines that real estate offers.”

A partner throughout the buying and selling process, Bushaw is available 24/7 and puts clients’ best interests first in all situations. “Treating every client with respect — sometimes it takes biting your tongue — goes a long way in building trust and rapport,” he says. “You have to remember that clients who are happy with your service will refer you to friends and family. You never know which client will turn into a great referral partner.”

Social media plays a big role in his business. “Being consistent with a mix of work and personal posts keeps me front-of-mind to my database,” he says. “I feel this is important, as when anyone in my database thinks of buying or selling real estate, they think of me first.”

Bushaw serves first-time to luxury buyers, sellers and investors in the city, as well as in the northern and western suburbs. The majority of his transactions come from direct referrals and leads from listings. “Real estate isn’t a secret,” Bushaw says. “Successful agents are all consistent with their marketing and their own database.” Oftentimes he’ll see a piece of clever marketing and implement something similar in his own campaigns. He also tries out the various services available to agents to get his brand out, sticking only with those that best convert into business.

In his free time, Bushaw enjoys boating, coaching his kids’ Little League teams, golf and any day at Wrigley Field.